When Tang Yu finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the pavilion, broken only by the mournful whisper of the wind through the pine forest.
CRACK!
With a sharp crack, the exquisite white porcelain teacup in Zhang Ling'Er's hand was crushed to pieces.
Scalding tea mixed with sharp porcelain shards dripped from between her fingers, spattering across the stone table.
"So, you're telling me..."
She ground her teeth, her voice seeming to squeeze out from between them, filled with endless shame and indignation. "That I, Zhang Ling'Er, was actually defeated by a country bumpkin who has only been cultivating for a little over eight months?"
The moment she said it, her cheeks burned as if she had been slapped in public, and the wave of humiliation threatened to drown her.
Tang Yu's expression remained impassive as she reported the facts. "I have repeatedly cross-referenced intelligence from three sources and secretly investigated his past activities. There are no mistakes."
